


Making Up For Lost Time

by EnglishPoet18



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-08
Updated: 2015-01-08
Packaged: 2018-03-06 17:35:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3142883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnglishPoet18/pseuds/EnglishPoet18
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daryl adjusted his camera as he stood outside of the country club smoking a cigarette. Getting a call to photograph his own high school reunion had been the last gig he had expected and it was the last place he wanted to be, but he made it a habit never to turn down a gig if his schedule allowed it. He didn't give a shit about seeing any of these people... CARYL AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	Making Up For Lost Time

...

Daryl adjusted his camera as he stood outside of the country club smoking a cigarette. Getting a call to photograph his own high school reunion had been the last gig he had expected and it was the last place he wanted to be, but he made it a habit never to turn down a gig if his schedule allowed it. He didn't give a shit about seeing any of these people, but he was here for a job and he would damn sure get it done.

He knew he was supposed to be meeting with Glenn, some guy from his class who had been the one to call and ask him. The name seemed familiar to him, but he couldn't remember what he looked like. He just wanted to get this shit done so that he could leave. He didn't care about these people when they had gone to school together and he definitely wouldn't have cared enough to come back to some lame high school reunion. He hated this shit. All reunions were good for was to rub your fame and career in the noses of all your classmates. It was all about bragging rights and Daryl just wasn't into that shit.

He could boast a little about his own success if he had a mind to, but why bother? That wasn't the type of person he was. So what if a good portion of his shots were making their way into magazines and newspapers? A job was a job and he did well enough for himself that he didn't have to want for much of anything anymore. It was a far cry from the piss poor lifestyle he had led growing up in this shit hole town.

Taking one last draw from his cigarette he flicked it to the ground and stepped on it with the heel of his shoe. Blowing out smoke he headed for the door.

"Name please," a stoutly man asked as he approached.

"Daryl Dixon."

The man adjusted his thick glasses and scanned the paper in his hand. Daryl drummed his fingers against his camera as he waited. Finally the man glanced at him again and shook his head. "That's not on here."

"What?" Daryl huffed. Glenn had assured him that all he would have to do was give his name and there wouldn't be any problems. "Where the fuck is Glenn?" He questioned.

The man's eyes widened and he backed up a step as Daryl loomed over him threateningly. "Uh...uh...I," the man stuttered. "Glenn?"

Daryl scanned his brain again for Glenn's last name, but he still couldn't remember it. He thought it started with a W. "Glenn!" Daryl raised his hands in the air for emphasis. "Ain't he in charge of this shit? Do you know anything?" His Dixon temper was flaring and he wanted another cigarette already. Christ, this was going to be a long night.

"Oh, y-you mean Mr. Rhee?" The man asked.

"Rhee!" Daryl said suddenly, the name coming back to him now. "That's it! Glenn fuckin' Rhee. Get him out here. I'm supposed to be taking photos."

The man's face colored a bright red and he flipped to another sheet nervously. "So you're _staff_. That's a different sheet."

Daryl's eyes sparked and he pointed a finger at the man, "Staff! Listen here, I ain't nobody's _staff_."

"Excuse me," a female voice spoke from behind him. "Daryl Dixon?"

Daryl turned towards the voice and his own died in his throat as he stared at the beautiful woman standing behind him. She had on a simple black dress that shouldn't have affected him the way it did, but it clung to every curve of her body in such a way that he couldn't help but stare. It was the blue eyes that triggered him though. He would have known those eyes anywhere and when she smiled at him the corners of her eyes crinkled only further enhancing her beauty.

He swallowed, "I..."

She stepped around him to the man Daryl had been mere seconds from stuffing into a trash can and smiled at him. "I'm Carol Hancock and that's Daryl Dixon. We're part of the same graduating class so I'm sure there's some mistake if his name isn't on the list." The man began to speak, but Carol cut him off. "And," she emphasized her words by pointing at his paper. "I'm almost positive that this isn't some kind of secret society and it's not life or death if a name's not on the list. I highly doubt that we'll have lots of people trying to sneak into a class reunion. Can we enter now or do you need to check the _list_ again?"

Daryl stared at the woman before him in awe and slowly a smirk spread across his face as the man met his eyes over Carol's shoulder. He coughed and stepped to the side, gesturing them both through the doorway and into the country club. Carol didn't wait for him and Daryl hurried to catch up to her, searching his brain for something to say to her.

"That was..." His voice trailed off.

She stopped and her smile widened, "You're welcome. I've gotten pretty good at bossing people around." She laughed.

"Daryl!" A slightly high-pitched voice called out and Daryl glanced over his shoulder to see Glenn heading in his direction. He turned back to ask Carol something, but she was gone and he caught her disappearing through a group of people, waving at several women who stood on the other side of the room. A wave of disappointment spiraled through him, but he tamped it down as Glenn stopped in front of him with an apologetic expression upon his face.

"I heard about what happened at the door. Sorry about that man. Your name was on the list, but I think Jack might be slightly blind," Glenn explained.

Daryl shook his head, "Whatever. It's over now. I'm just gonna slip around and get some shots. You think of anything in particular you want since we talked?"

Glenn shook his head, "No, just what we discussed and anything else you might think is good. We're going to put together an album online that everyone can view. I trust you'll get some good pics."

Daryl nodded, "Okay." He started to walk, but Glenn began talking again and he stopped.

"I can't tell you how grateful we all are that you're doing this. Maggie was so excited when we discovered your name in the phone book only to find out that we all graduated together. We're big fans of yours," Glenn said.

Daryl shifted uncomfortably. He didn't care too much for praise and truth be told it made him a little uncomfortable to hear it. He fiddled with his camera even though he knew it was already set to go. He had checked himself half a dozen times as per his usual routine.

"Yeah, no problem. I better get started." Daryl gestured to the people that were entering steadily and Glenn nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, sounds good. Let me know if you need anything!"

Daryl lifted a hand in agreement and slipped through the small crowd to stand along the sidelines, partially within the shadows. He liked to fade into the background when he worked, capturing candid shots that people weren't even expecting. To him, those were the best shots...the most honest ones where people didn't try to hide their face or change their expressions. He liked to capture the rawness of the moment.

He moved around the room in constant motion, snapping pictures here and there as he saw fit. Sometimes people would turn to him in surprise afterward, but he usually moved on before they could say anything or pose a certain way. It wasn't until he got a glimpse of Carol through his lens that he stopped in place, holding the camera steady as he watched her. She was oblivious to him watching as she chatted with several women, laughing as she sipped on a cup of punch that he had seen at one of the tables. Every time she laughed she tipped her head back slightly and he snapped several quick pics without thinking.

When he realized that he was standing there staring like some sort of stalker he reluctantly moved the camera and headed to the table for his own drink. He filled one of the small plastic cups and drank the liquid down quickly, grimacing slightly at the taste of it. He drank two more cups to try and rid himself of his dry mouth, but it was no use. He was out of his element here and he knew it was mostly because she was here.

He was drawn to her, much like he had been back in high school and he didn't have the courage to approach her now any more than he had then. There was just something about her and the way she had taken charge at the door tonight...well that shit had been hot. _She_ was hot. He really needed to get a grip on himself here. This wasn't him and he never had this much trouble keeping his focus doing a job.

He looked in her direction once more but she was gone and hastily he scanned the room for her, hoping that she hadn't left already. He caught sight of her back just as she slipped out of the room and unbidden his feet began to follow. He slipped out of the crowded room without getting stopped for which he was thankful. He saw her just as she slipped into one of the bathrooms and he stood there awkwardly not knowing what to do now.

The sound of the bathroom door opening again had him stepping back quickly into an alcove, immersing himself into the shadows. He watched a guy that he did remember, Rick Grimes, step out of the men's room and check his cell phone. Carol stepped out of the ladies room at that moment and he tensed when Rick smiled at her.

He knew Rick well enough considering he was a cop and had arrested Merle on several occasions. Rick wasn't too bad of a guy, but Dixon's didn't associate with cops as a rule of thumb. It just wasn't good business, but in Daryl's opinion, Rick was probably the most decent out of all of them on the force. And because of Merle, Daryl had met all of them so he knew what they were like.

He couldn't hear exactly what the two of them were saying, but Carol was smiling and laughing at Rick and that made Daryl's stomach flutter. He watched with a tinge of jealousy as she placed one hand upon Rick's arm, leaning forward to talk to him more. Her face was flushed and he felt himself stir with raging desire watching her.

Stepping back further, Daryl leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. He was an idiot to think that he would ever get a woman like that to notice him and he knew it. Merle was right. Dixon's always got the shit end of the stick. Now here he was acting like some stalker and drooling over a woman who didn't even know he existed. It was pathetic and Merle would give him shit for it if he knew.

"Fuckin' stupid's what you are," he muttered. "Standin' here like a fuckin' dumbass. What were you gonna say anyway?"

"Daryl?"

He froze. Cracking one eye open slowly, he glanced directly into her face as she squinted to see into the darkness. Fuck. She must have heard him talking to himself. He cleared his throat and went to take a step forward, but his foot caught on a cord that he hadn't expected and he stumbled. Somehow he hit the button on his camera and the flash lit up the alcove, blinding them both with the bright light. Carol grabbed his arm and the weight of her trying to balance herself sent them both staggering back several steps until his back hit the wall. He gripped her by both arms, holding her steady and she rested against him for several seconds before she began to shake.

Oh shit, now she was crying. He wasn't smooth with women who weren't hysterical and he knew he would be a complete idiot with one who was. He didn't know how to comfort people. It just wasn't in his nature.

To his surprise she wasn't crying though and his eyes widened when she let a bubble of laughter slip through her lips. She was _laughing_ and Daryl couldn't help himself so he began to laugh with her. She rubbed her hands over his shirt and he was pretty sure she didn't even realize that she was still leaning on him heavily. He thought he smelled alcohol on her breath and he hadn't even known she was a drinker.

Her hands rubbing over him began to cause his body to stir and harden and he knew that he had to pull away from the situation. Except she seemed to press that much harder against him and before he sensed it coming she had covered his lips with her own. It was like striking a match and he cupped her face, drawing her in deeper to him, sliding his tongue into her mouth like she was his last drink on a hot day. He knew he wouldn't get enough of her and that he wouldn't stop unless she told him too. He prayed that she wouldn't tell him too.

Her hands slid over every inch of him and she slipped the camera strap over his head, setting it gently to the floor. When her fingers slid underneath his shirt his head fell back against the wall as a rush of air escaped him. "Carol?"

"Shh..." She pressed one palm over his mouth and he felt her hot breath near his ear. "I want you Daryl. I've wanted you since that day I caught you staring at me in gym class twelve years ago. I'm done waiting on you to come to me."

His mouth dropped an inch and he released a soft groan as she moved to the zipper of his pants. He was still trying to process everything that she had said, but she wasn't slowing down and he struggled to catch up. Snaking an arm around her waist, he spun them around until her back was against the wall. She arched into him and he hooked one hand under her thigh, lifting her leg against him, tugging her into him tightly.

"Christ...all this time?" He muttered. "I've always wanted you...always." His lips ghosted over her ear, tracing the outer shell with his tongue and she moaned softly in return.

He slid a palm under the edge of her dress, sliding just underneath the material until he grazed the silky fabric of her panties. He hooked a finger around them, pushing them to the side so that he could touch the heart of her. He closed his eyes as he ran his fingers over her heat, tracing the wet lining of her skin. He wanted to memorize every inch of her, to taste her and cherish her, but this wasn't the time or place. Slowly he eased the tip of one finger inside of her, taunting her with short strokes that threatened to drive her insane with desire.

"Take your pants off," she panted.

"I don't have a condom," Daryl warned.

She shook her head, her arms curling tightly around his neck, "I'm on the pill...I trust you. Do you trust me?"

Daryl didn't even have to think about the answer to that one and he nodded, "Yeah."

She leaned in close. "Then what are you waiting for?" She whispered.

He groaned and finished working his pants open with one hand while the other continued to cage her against the wall. He pulled himself out and shifted her dress aside to tease her with his tip before pushing into her swiftly. They both shuddered at the fit, pausing as they adjusted to each other. He boosted her legs up and she wrapped them around his waist. He thrust into her, his palms holding steady against the wall as she clung to him.

"Have you seen Carol?"

"No, not for a while. She's probably outside with some of the others."

They both froze for a second at the voices and Daryl covered her mouth with his own, stifling her moans as he continued to thrust into her. The voices carried on down the long hallway oblivious to their little tryst mere feet away. Daryl broke the kiss and nuzzled into her neck, breathing in her scent deep into his lungs.

"I've wanted this for so long," he muttered.

" _Yes_."

"I wanna take you home and make love to you all night." He couldn't seem to stop the words from spilling from his lips and he almost stalled, wondering what she was going to think. She didn't comment and he rushed onward, "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

She cried out softly as she came, biting down onto his shirt as her grip tightened on his shoulders. He threw back his head at the sudden snug grip and he arched into her before riding out his own orgasm. He was sweaty as fuck in all of his clothes and he couldn't wait until he could take off the stifling white button-up shirt he had worn. Even though it was his standard formal outfit, it still didn't get any more comfortable over time.

Carol unwound her legs from his waist and he kept one hand on her hip in case she wasn't steady. He worked himself back into his pants and slid the zipper back into place. Backing against the wall, he slid down to the floor for a moment to catch his breath and calm his racing heart. A part of him still couldn't believe what had just happened. Except Carol had yet to say anything and that was bothering him more than anything.

He reached for and grabbed her hand in the dark, "Carol?" She slowly slid down the wall beside of him and when she still didn't reply, he tugged her into his lap. "Talk to me," he urged.

"I can't believe that just happened," she muttered.

"Yeah, me neither."

"I'm sorry that I jumped you like that. Seeing you after all of this time was harder than I thought. I mean, I hadn't expected you to be here, but I'd be lying if I said a part of me hadn't hoped you would be."

Daryl's heart skipped a beat. "You have absolutely nothing to apologize for. Hell, that was fuckin' amazing. Even better than my fantasies," he admitted.

"You had fantasies about us?" She asked.

His cheeks burned and he was glad that it was dark for once as he nodded. "I should have said somethin' back then, but it never seemed to be the right time. I was stupid."

To his surprise she agreed with him. "Yes, you were stupid. If I had only known you felt the same, things could have been so different." She stood up and tugged on his hand. "Come on, let's blow this joint." He detected a hint of a smile in her voice and he relaxed some.

"Glenn hired me for the whole event. It ain't over yet."

"Fine. You can stay here and take your pics... _or_ we can head back to my place and make up for lost time." They stepped into the light of the hallway and she pursed her lips at him as she waited for his answer.

"Fuck it," he muttered as he capped his camera. "He can make do with what I got. Let's go."

"Oh and Daryl? You might want to cancel your plans for tomorrow. It's going to be a long night." Carol tossed him a saucy look as he held the door open for her and they stepped out.

A wide smile split his lips, "Yes ma'am."

...


End file.
